The latest traffic, travel, weather, crime and breaking news updates from The Chronicle, covering Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Northumberland, Sunderland and Durham for Friday, 30 May 2014

The Chronicle's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Newcastle and North East traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for Friday, 30 May 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningChron to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Newcastle breaking news live blog begins at 06:30am every weekday and is updated throughout the day until 10.00pm.

06:39

Ruth Lognonne

Morning all. Ruth Lognonne here looking after the live blog for this morning. As usual, if you hear of anything give us a tweet @EveningChronicle or ring the newsroom on 0191 2043306.

06:43

Ruth Lognonne

WEATHER: Some good news on the weather front today! Dry throughout the day, although often rather cloudy. However, there will be some breaks in the cloud for most, giving bright or sunny spells and it will feel warmer than recent days.

06:45

Ruth Lognonne

TRAVEL: A694 Front Street in Shotley Bridge is closed in both directions between the Oley Meadows junction and the Hadrians Way junction, because of a serious accident involving single vehicle. Will find out more and keep you updated.

06:51

Ruth Lognonne

NEWS: A man has been charged with the attempted murder of a woman who is recovering in hospital after sustaining serious stab wounds.

Steven Young, 34, of no fixed abode, will appear in Peterlee Magistrates' Court today (Friday, May 30) after being charged in connection with an incident in South Moor, Stanley, on Monday (May 26).

Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, who is leading the investigation, said: “A man is to appear in court this morning following an incident earlier this week, in which a 34-year-old woman suffered serious injuries.

“Her injuries included a number of stab wounds.

“Steven Young, also aged 34, and of no fixed abode, has this evening been charged with attempted murder.

“He will be appearing in front of magistrates at Peterlee.

“Young was arrested at the scene at a house in Poplar Street, in South Moor, Stanley, on Monday night and has been in police custody since that time.”

The woman, named locally as Joanne Bolton, suffered serious injuries to both her head and body.

She was taken initially to the University Hospital North Durham, before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

Det Supt Goundry said: “The victim is making good recovery from her injuries and is classed as stable.

“She remains in the Royal Victoria Infirmary.”

06:59

Ruth Lognonne

NEWS: Dressed in a wig and a Batgirl costume, self-styled party animal Connor Adams is today behind bars for violent disorder after a near-riot on a busy Tyneside dual carriageway.

“Mr OiOi” Adams, 21, who three weeks ago won £1,000 on ITV2’s Viral Tap for his internet video antics, admitted being part of the mob which drunkenly attacked cars with fireworks, eggs and flour near Heworth Roundabout on the Felling Bypass in Gatesheadfollowing a huge Halloween bash last year.

NEWS: Police are warning residents about a potential cold caller doing the rounds in Newcastle.

The first suspicious incident happened at around 4.30pm on Tuesday, May 27, when a man and woman knocked on the door an address at Heathwell Road in Denton Burn.

The couple claimed they were looking for a music teacher to teach their child, and then the woman said she was pregnant and asked to use the toilet. The occupant, an elderly woman, refused and the pair left.

It's believed to be linked to a second incident which happened at 4.30pm on Wednesday, May 28, when two people of similar descriptions attended a house at Moorfield in South Gosforth, occupied by an elderly man and woman.

They again said they were looking for a music teacher and then the woman said she was pregnant and asked to use the toilet. The woman searched other rooms in the house while upstairs but left without stealing anything.

The man and woman are believed to be aged in their 40s, smartly dressed in suits, with foreign accents.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

07:20

Ruth Lognonne

NEWS: At 2am this morning, two fire engines from Stanhope and Crook, Durham, were called to a car park on Front Street, in Frosterley involving three vehicles and cylinders on fire. More information to follow.

07:32

Ruth Lognonne

TRAVEL: No trains from Monkseaton to Wallsend running due to signalling problems. Go North East are accepting Metro tickets on Arriva 306 bus services.

07:45

Ruth Lognonne

NEWS: Just spoken to fire station manager, John Jamieson, who gave The Chronicle an update on this morning's early fire at at car park in Frosterley.

Two fire engines arrived at the car park on Front Street at 3.40am to find a motor home on fire. The flames had ripped through the vehicle, burnt through the handbrake cable, and the motorhome had rolled into at least three other parked vehicles causing them to set alight.

A gas cylinder inside the motorhome had also caught fire and a large explosion was heard.

Residents were on the streets watching on as the firefighters tackled the blaze, which took two jet streams and 30 minutes to extinguish.

No one was injured in the fire and police are now investigating the cause of the fire.

More on Chronicle Live website later

07:47

Ruth Lognonne

TRAVEL: Traffic is starting to build, especially in and around Heaton, Newcastle and the Tyne Bridge.

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